Book Review: Doctor Who The Vault

Drawing on unseen and iconic material from the BBC archive and private collectors, The Vault is an unforgettable journey through 50 years of Doctor Who, via carefully selected photographs, props, costumes designs, production memos, letters, scripts and more. This is the full and official story of Doctor Who, from the first pre-production memos in 1963 to the most recent props created for the 2013 series, including interviews with key contributors and scores of prop photos, design sketches and behind the scenes stills from every decade of the show's production. Taking you year by year through the world's longest running science fiction series, Marcus Hearn explores the show's groundbreaking innovations as well as its impact on popular culture through books and comics, magazines and toys, merchandise and ephemera. The Vault is a collector's dream and the ultimate celebration of Doctor Who.

Amazingly, this hefty tome is only about £3 on eBay. It is the perfect "coffee table book". You can dip in and out of it. Lazily flick through the pages until something catches your eye. Hone in on your favourite season or episode.

If you are a long-time Doctor Who nerd, there probably isn't anything in there which is a stunning revelation. But it is nice to have a compendium of behind the scenes photos, anecdotes, and little things you might not have seen before.

Particularly amusing to me where all the 20th Century merchandising! Tooth-rotting breakfast cereal with free Dalek transfers! Candy cigarettes(!) emblazoned with The Doctor's face. Dalek bubble bath.

A few of the letters and cartoon strips are printed quite small, which can be a bit of pain to read. No, I'm not getting older - print is getting smaller! It also ends rather abruptly with a couple of pages about "The Day of the Doctor".

But, for less than a fiver for over 300 pages of photos and trivia, it seems churlish to complain.

There are some great little observations. The BBC has never really given the show the budget to thrive - yet it just won't die. Fans have always complained about how rubbish the new producer is. And actors have always worried about being typecast by the show. The more things change, eh?

The book was released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the show - and we're coming up to the 60th. Perhaps it will be re-released with some more behind-the-sofa-scenes material. That'd be nice!